My Dogs

I have two dogs, Masso and Pillar. Both are lab mixes and both have a ton of energy and love to run and play and bark and all those things dogs like to do. They also like to get in to the trash. Exhibit A. Masso took a carton of eggs from the trash and destroyed them.

They also like chew things, like, a lot. Pillar in particular gets super upset when left alone and has been known to chew through baby gates, pillows, couches...his chewing knows no limits. So I buy them things to chew on. One of the most successful chew toys are antlers. They are natural and last for freaking ever. Seriously, I bought them Antlers more than two months ago and they are still not even halfway gone. Pretty good investment, IMO. 

So they both, at one point had antlers to chew on, but being the crazy guys they are, the of course want to chew on the same antler at the same time and have been known to tussle over the chewies from time to time. But Masso got smart. When Pillar has an antler he wants, he'll bolt to the window and bark, knowing Pillar will leave the antler to come investigate the disturbance. Masso then leaves the window, where he's been barking at nothing, and head straight to the antler. Pretty dick move, but also pretty awesomely hilarious. Pillar, being the sweet lover he is, just stares at Masso, waiting for his turn with the antler because ultimately they really are best buds.

Politics, Man

Not to get all political, but there has never been a more Fox News-y headline in the history of ever.

*eye roll*

Bye, Bye Bunheads

Bunheads was one of those shows no one watched, but many, many people loved. It aired on ABC Family, sandwiched between comedies about boys raising babies and whatever Pretty Little Liars is about and never really found the audience it deserved. Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, who also created the super wonderful Gilmore Girls, Bunheads was, like SATC, a show by and about women...in this case high school ballerinas and the women they grow up to be.

I loved Bunheads. The crazy, Sherman-Palladino-ized dialogue (with 100 MPH jokes and pop culture references, half of which I didn't get...maybe a quarter of which I didn't get because my pop culter knowledge is very good, thankyouverymuch!) was a particular highlight. It was frank about sex and growing up and what it's like to be a 30 something woman who never quite realized her dreams and learns to make new dreams instead (that last point I can particularly relate to).

I'll miss Bunheads, which was sadly cancelled last week, but wait patiently for the next AS-P joint to find my new "Oy with the poodles already!"

On the Ever Expanding Waistline

Recently, I read this fascinating piece about global weight gain and it's possible causes. Turns out, it may not be as simple as "eat less and exercise more" to lose weight. There are many, many factors involved from chemicals in the water, genetics, environmental causes, even air conditioning.

Author David Berreby starts with the idea that, if poor diet and lack of exercise are the whole stroy, why then are lab animals, who have essentially been fed the same diet and kept in the same general conditions for decades, also gaining weight? It seems there has to be more to the story.

Though long, I would definitely recommend giving his piece a read. Lots of interesting research and theory to be consumed.